A Hunter's Heart
by HuntressInTheShadowsOfDeath
Summary: When Alessa Rodriguez is found by Artemis and her hunters she is beaten, broken, and has no reason to live. She doesn't want to deal with the pain of the world anymore. Can Artemis and the hunters give her a new life and family? A new chance to mend her broken soul and move on from her past?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! thanks for clicking my story! I hope you all like it!**

**Fang: Alessa I think your forgetting something.**

**Me: ...**

**Angel: She wants me to tell you that she will not speak with an ignorant male and also what did she forget?**

**Fang: Hey! I'm not ignorant. Geez and the disclaimer.**

**Angel: She says all males are ignorant. **

**Max: What did you expect. She's a Hunter of Artemis nimrod.**

**Fang: Well sorry for being born with a d-**

**Max: Fang! Little ears in the room idiot!**

**Me: My point exactly. I do not own PJO and I'm not saying it again. Now excuse me while I break Fang's arm for putting it around my shoulders.**

Alessa's POV/

When I got the call everything in me seemed to break. I was only 16. I shouldn't have to deal with this right? But no matter how much I tried to deny the truth it was still there. He was dead. Cameron was dead. The only boy I had ever loved had left me here alone to deal with it all. He had taken his gun and did the one thing he had talked me out of countless times. He had taken his life and he took my heart to Hades with him. I broke. This was the last straw.

I got the call in the middle of theatre practice and when my Mom told me I couldn't do anything. I completely froze. The phone slipped out of my hand and shattered on the floor and I stood there frozen in shock. I couldn't cry. I couldn't do anything. I didn't want to. I was done. That was it. What was the point anymore? I stood there trying to comprehend everything until my teacher approached me with a worried face. Her mouth moved and I knew she was speaking but I could barely hear her over the roaring in my ears.

"Alessa? Alessa are you alright?" She asked with worry plain on her face. I was shaking by now. I couldn't help it. Its like I had no control over my body anymore. My breathing was short and fast and my entire body shook. All I could do was stare blankly at the broken phone on the ground. Finally I snapped. I whirled around and pushed past my teacher and grabbed my bag. I rushed out the door meaning to run to my truck and go home and try and deal with this but I was stopped by a group of guys.

I nearly screamed in frustration. Why now? Why did this happen to me? I hadn't needed to deal with this since Cameron came along. But Cameron wasn't here to protect me anymore. He never would be again. And the four guys standing in front of me had been waiting for over a year to have their favorite punching bag back. Me. "Where's your little boyfriend Rodriguez? Not here to protect you today is he?" The biggest one asked before punching me in the face. I stumbled backwards and fell on the ground as they surrounded me. Before I could do anything to stop them I was being beaten and kicked and spit on.

But I couldn't bring myself to fight back anymore. I was alone. And it was His fault. Cameron's. He had left me. He knew this would happen. He knew and he left. And I was alone. Again. Just like before. First my father left. Then my mother. Then my brother. Now Cameron. Maybe I should leave. Just stop fighting back. It's not like the world needed me.

I hated him. I hated all of them but I was done fighting. I let the boys beat me. Felt bones breaking. I never screamed. Never cried. I just let it happen. I was sure they would finish me off. Beat me until I was nothing and then leave me here to rot. Its not like my foster mom would care. She only adopted me for the money. But before they could finish they were pulled back. I heard screaming.

"How dare you do such a thing to an innocent maiden? Foul males. What has this young woman done to deserve your wrath? You loathsome little creatures. I shall let my hunters deal with you. Thalia come here. Help me with this girl." A melodic voice said. Even angry it sounded beautiful. I tried to look as the figure of the woman who spoke but it was hard through my swollen eyes. I saw a small figure. A flash of auburn hair. And silver. Lots of silver. And then I saw a flash of black hair with a hint of silver. A girl that looked to be my age came into view.

"My lady. She is horribly wounded. What do you want me to do?" The girl asked. I felt her trying to wipe what I assumed was blood off of my face. I heard the screams of the four boys as who-knows-what was done to them. But I was beyond caring now.

"Thalia. Go ahead. Go to camp and alert them to our arrival. I will follow with the girl. Leave her here with me and go. I need to take care of this maiden. She has deep sorrow in her heart. I must have time alone. I will bring her to camp soon. Go." The voice spoke. I felt the other girl leave me.

"Hunters with me!" She shouted and soon everything was quiet other than the sound of my own labored breathing. My field of vision was covered in silver as the auburn haired girl sat in front of me. I felt her brush hair from my face. A motherly gesture. Something that hadn't ever been done to me.

"Young maiden. You have so much pain in your heart. So much anger and sorrow. What has happened to you?" She cooed softly. Her motherly tone caused the tears I had been holding back to spring foreword and leak from my swollen eyes. I wanted to tell her everything. To cry to her and pour my soul out to her. I felt like she might be as close as I would get to a real mother. I barely knew her but I felt like she would understand.

"He left me." I managed to croak.

"Oh my dear maiden. A man left you in this state? So broken that you were inviting death?" She asked sadly. I nodded and slowly told her of the man I loved leaving me. Knowing how much I needed him and then leaving me to the wolves. How he was my protector and swore he would stand by my side but now he was gone. He wouldn't even let me help him. He was gone and I was alone I told her how my Father had left me and my brother with our mentally unstable mother and then my brother taking off four years ago leaving me with that woman. And how she would beat me and then one night she died in a car accident on her way home from the bar. I had been alone most of my life and I didn't want to deal with it any longer.

When I finished she didn't speak. She calmly held me while I cried. My pains from my wounds were finally crashing down on me and I groaned. "Come young one. We must get you to camp. We will have you healed and then I will speak with you again. I would like to offer you a new family. My family." She said as she picked me up and somehow ran with me in her arms. I couldn't speak anymore. I was slowly losing consciousness as she ran. The last thing I saw was a huge pine tree and a sign written in what looked to be ancient greek and then everything went black.

* * *

**So I hope you all like the first chappie! I dont have a beta so I'm sorry for gramatical errors. Please give me your honest opinions. I openly accept sonstructive critism and praise but I will call you out if you flame. Have a wonder filled day. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! It's me again. Wooo 2 updates in one day! I would like to say thank you to my first two reviews. **

**SpecialGirlz**

**Death is my Daddy**

**Thank you for reviewing. You are both amazing. **

**Max: umm Alessa. Are we actually going to get on with the story anytime soon?**

**Me: What? Oh yeah. Sorry Max. Here we go. **

Percy's POV/

It was a normal day at Camp half-blood. Well as normal as it gets when you are children of the gods and are fighting for your life on a daily basis. But hey, what's life without a little adventure right? Anyways. Summer was in full swing. The camp was full everyone was having fun.

My girlfriend Annabeth and I were walking through the strawberry field hand in hand as she talked about a new building she was designing. She wanted to be an architect. She rebuilt Olympus after the second Titan war and then again after the second giant war. Each time it was better than the last.

We were discussing her architectural studies when we heard the shouts. Without thinking we took off. I had my sword riptide out and ready to fight as. We made our way through the strawberry fields and into the open where we could see. I immediately relaxed when I saw the troupe of Artemis's hunters and my cousin Thalia Grace.

I put up my sword and approached them. "Hey Pine-Cone Face. What brings you here?" I asked. She looked at me and smiled but it seemed forced. All of the hunters had worried or angry expressions on their faces. Strange. It was rare you saw all of the hunters like that.

"We need to speak with Chiron. We will be staying here. For at least tonight. And the Lady Artemis is on her way also." She said. I arched an eyebrow. It was rare that the hunters stayed at camp. Bit for Artemis herself to stay at camp then something was happening. And I didn't think I was going to like it.

Chiron cantered up and Thalia told them that the hunters were staying the night. When she told him Artemis was coming to her face pinched in a way that said she was worried. "Thalia. You are worrying over something. What troubles you child?" Chiron asked. Thalia just shook her head.

"Lady Artemis felt the call today. When we got to the location-" she stopped. Practically choking on her words. What had made her so upset? My cousin had nerves of steel normally. I noticed some of the hunters had the same look and the others were looking around at all of the males with more disgust and contempt than usual.

"The call? The Lady only feels the call when a young maiden-" he was cut off my the solemn nodding of Thalia's head. We all stood in silence trying to figure out what had the hunters so rattled when the silence was broken.

"My Lady!" One of the hunters exclaimed. We all turned to see the Goddess of the Hunt herself coming over the hill. I was confused at first by the thing in her arms until I realized it was a person. The face of the Goddess was grim and terrifying. As she got closer I gasped.

I could now see the appearance of the girl. She didn't look much older than me. From what I could tell she was fairly skinny with pale skin and long straight red hair. But other than that you couldn't pick out any features because her face was beaten and bruised and swollen and bloody. The outfit she wore was ripped and covered in dirt and blood. You could see large bruises covering her exposed skin and as they came closer I could hear her raspy labored breathing.

This girl had been beaten brutally. Anger welled up inside of me as I watched the hunters look on the girl with pity and sorrow. I could tell by the angry murmures going around that it had been men that did this and that made me angrier. What kind of man did this to a defenseless girl?

All of the campers that were standing around gasped when they saw her. Several of the girls were openly crying as they out two and two together. Nobody should be treated like this girl. Artemis made her way to Chiron with the girl in her arms.

"Chiron my hunters and I will stay here for the time being. This young maiden will stay with us. I ask that she be aloud a room in the Big House and also if you wouldn't mind sparing two of your best healers to help her I would be grateful." She said. Her voice was laced with anger and sadness as she looked down at the broken girl. Chiron nodded gravely and led her to the big house after telling Will Solace and one of his brothers to follow them.

We watched them leave and then everybody else slowly walked away to talk about what had happened. Annabeth and I stayed until it was just us and Thalia. "What happened Thals? That girl-" I cut off not knowing what to say.

"You heard me tell Chiron the Artemis felt the call right?" I nodded. "The call is what we call it when Lady Artemis feels the cry as a young maidens soul shatters. When a girl loses all hope and gives up on living. When she has finally reached her edge and fallen off her soul unknowingly cries out for Artemis to save her. You might think this is a common thing but a true soul shattering is a very rare occurrence. It means that the girl has lost all purpose. That she has nothing and nobody to hold on to. She is truly alone in this world and has no point to go on. Artemis hasn't felt the call in over two decades. But today she felt it. When we arrived at the place it was coming from we found the girl. She was being brutally beaten by four guys twice her size. She wasn't even fighting back."

Thalia chocked on her words again. I felt sick. What could bring somebody to the point that their souls shattered? Annabeth was crying openly. I pulled both my girlfriend and cousin into me as one cried and the other shook with a mixture of hate sorrow and rage. I hoped the girl was going to be alright. Finally we all pulled away from eachother. We started walking Thalia back to the Artemis cabin when we were stopped by a bloodcurdling scream. It came from the Big House.

**okay guys! Sorry about the cliffhanger but I felt it was nessacary. I hope all of you like my story but if you don't then I don't actually care. And one of you PMed me and asked if this was based off personal experience. Thank you for not tasking that in a review but I will clear it up now. This is in fact based off of personal experience. Yes my boyfriend of 1 year and 4 months shot himself in the head days before my 16 birthday. Yes I am in foster care. Yes I have an older brother that ran away 4 years ago. Yes I went through depression. But I'm better now and I'm using my experiences in my writing. So if you guys ever need someone to talk to the n PM me :) you are all beautiful even the flamers!**

**~Alessa**


	3. Chapter 3

**Woohoo new chappie! I hope you all like my story. Just wait. Things are about to turn for the interesting. Mwahahaha anyways. Thank you to my reviewer from last chapter**

**Priscilla Prior**

**i love getting reviews so please keep them coming. Also I'm sorry for any strange or wrong grammar as I am typin this on my I phone. And autocorrect hates me. Anyways. On with the story!**

Artemis's POV/(betcha didn't see that coming)

As I carried the young girl into the big house with Chiron and two of his campers behind me I felt my ange rising and burning as I felt the girls labored breathing. Filthy males. To do such a thing to an innocent young maiden. I should have turned them into jackalopes. My hunters did a good job though. And I doubt that the filthy little mortal males will disrespect a female again.

Chiron led me into a spare bedroom where I laid the girl down gently. I smoothed the hair away from her face with a sad smile. How could such beautiful wonderful young maiden have been through so much that her soul shattered. When she told me her story I knew that I would take her under my wing. In myself and my hunters she would find new hope and a new family.

I finally stepped back and looked at the healers Chiron brought. I sneered. Males. Both of them. One of them I recognized as Will Solace. He was one of my brothers favorite sons. The other was one of his brothers judging by looks. Normally I would not allow them near a girl so broken but she was in great need of healing. My hunters were to exhausted from our latest hunt and I did not specialize in healing. So I stepped aside and let the two boys step foreword to examine her.

They knelt on either side of her bed and checked over her still body. They were careful not to lay their hands anywhere inappropriate for fear of myself. Then a sound rose to my ears. The sound of sniffles and ragged breathing. It came from the Solace boy. "Why do you cry boy?" I asked him coldly.

"My lady. This girl's condition is critical. I am angry that someone could do this to her. You see My Lady. I have a little sister. On the mortal side of my family. She kind of looks like this girl. It makes me angry thinking that any being could be this cruel to someone so defenseless." he said. My eyes widened. This boy was crying for someone he did not know. Before I could answer a golden flash filled the room.

"What is going on here Artemis? Why is my son crying? Who is that girl?" The string of questions came. I turned to look at my twin brother.

"Apollo. What are you doing here?" I ground out. I was in no mood for my brothers antics today. When he saw the scathing look on my face he raised an eyebrow.

"Well you seem more hateful of me that's usual today. What happened Artemis? I am here because your distress that everyone on Olympus can feel coupled with feeling my son in distress equals a visit from me." He said softly.

I quietly pulled him to the side and explained what had happened while the sons of my brother worked on the girl. When I got to the part about her mother havin been crazy his eyes widened causing me to stop. "What is that girls name Artemis?" He asked frantically pointing to my young ward. I frowned but told him it was Alessa. "And her mothers?" he asked. I told him that she and her mother shared the name as a family tradition.

He sucked in a breath and stared at the girl. "It can't be." He whispered. This worried me.

"Apollo what is happening? You must tell me what is going on with that girl? What do you know about her?" I demanded. He turned to me with wide eyes.

"She is a seer. I blessed the women in her family in the Ancient Greek times. They have the power of foresight. But when I blessed them it came with a bit of a side affect. They must always speak the truth. If they tell lies they slowly go insane which is what I imagine happened with her mother. That's what her name means. Alessa literally translates to noble truth. But I thought her family line died out in Ancient Greece during the war. Their bloodline all together disappeared from my sight. I don't know how but one of them must have found a priest to hide them from my sight. The problem with the fgift off foresight is that I must reinstate it as a blessing on each child or it slowly becomes a curse." he said. My eyes widened. Behind us the two males had stopped working to listen to us.

"What do you mean curse?" I growled.

"If the gift is not reinstated by me then it turned to a curse. Her visions will come and disrupt her mind, body, and soul. They will drive her to insanity and then some." he said sadly.

"Then do something useful and help her while fixing that damn gift in the process." I hissed pointing at her shaking figure. Apollo looked at her and nodded sadly before motioning his sounds out of the room. He stood over her with his hand above her body. He slowly started chanting in Ancient Greek. Alessa's wounds began healing and I could here her bones snapping back together where they were broken.

When it looked as though she was fully healed Apollo stopped chanting to whisper. "I'm sorry but this must be done." I didn't understand what he was apologizing for until he started chanting again. This was something more primal though. Both of them were engulfed in golden light. As it hit its brightest point Alessa screamed. A loud cold clear sound thung made the house shake and caused even me to shiver. It sent a chill through my body and I'm sure the whole camp could hear. She seemed to scream for years but it was only a few minutes.

Finally the light faded and Apollo stepped back exhausted. Alessa lay deathly still on the bed. Her wounda were gone and her breathing was normal but she still looked almost dead. I stepped foreword and placed my hand on her face. "Dear maiden you have been through so much." I whispered. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked at me with wide green eyes.

**okay guys! New chappie. I hope all of you like it. Please R&R. Thanks for reading :)**

**~Alessa **


	4. Chapter 4

**I know I know I know. I'm an awful person for not updating please don't kill me. I just got busy with school and all and lost my inspiration. I totally understand if you all hate me. I didn't get any reviews last chapter but oh well. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter and I'm sorry if its not great. **

**Alessa's pov/**

After I passed out it felt like I was floating. I was alone in an empty dark space just floating waiting for something to happen. Finally a white spark appeared in the abyss. I lazily moved toward it. It grew bigger until I was surrounded by blinding whiteness. When it cleare I was standing in a room and Cameron was there.

"Lessy is that you?" He asked. I glared at him but nodded. "What are you doing here. You can't be here. Your not dead are you?" He asked. I let out a harsh laugh.

"What would you care if I did? You left me. You knew what would happen and you left me. What the hell gives you the right to do that huh? What was so bad that you couldn't come to me?" I snarled. He recoiled hurt.

"L-Lessy. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left you alone. I just couldn't handle it anymore. With my mom always getting mad at me. I just couldn't go on?" He said quietly. I clenched my fists.

"Your mother yelling at you? That is what made it so hard for you to go on? My father left me. I lived. My brother left me. I lived. My mother went crazy abusive and then died. I lived. I've been in six foster homes and I LIVED. And you give up after your mommy yells at you and expect me to understand?! Your pathetic! All men are the same. Idiots! You all leave and think that it's okay. You justify yourselves and think that everything is fine! Well your wrong! It's not fine! It's never fine and I hate you Cameron Dean! I. Hate. You!" I screamed with tears streaming down my face. I shoved him back and he looked at me with wide eyes. He moved to touch me but I smacked his hand away and glared at him through the tears. "I don't need this. And I don't need you. In done here. I'm going to forget about you now and there is nothing you can say to change it." I said lowly before turning away.

That action seemed to flip a switch because then I was floating in the dark again. Alone with my thoughts. It could have been seconds or minutes or hours or days. Maybe even years but I didn't care. It was peaceful in the dark. And then I started hearing the voices. Little snatches of conversation.

"-girl's name Arte-"

"Apollo what- happening- know about her?"

"-seer- blessed- amily-ancient Greece- foresight-died out-curse"

Everything was disjointed. A man and woman were saying something about gifts and curses and ancient bloodlines. And then the words started becoming clearer as the woman spoke.

"-something useful and fix that damn gift in the process!" The woman growled there was shuffling an then a kind of warmth filled my body. I heard chanting in an ancient language and I felt my body mend itself. When it was over I felt whole again but somehow I knew there was something more that needed to be done. I was right.

"I'm sorry but this must be done." A man said. I was about to open my eyes and ask what he meant when my entire being seemed to light on fire. Everything was burning and I couldn't get away from it. It seemed to go on for years.

After what seemed like an eternity it stopped and I breathed in and could have cried in relief that I wasn't in pain anymore. I couldn't move yet though. Someone sat next to me and put a cool hand to my forehead. "My dear maiden. You have been through so much." A woman said.

That seemed to break the spell and my eyes snapped open. I was looking into the eyes of a woman with auburn hair. The same woman that saved me before. I was about to say something when the door was flung open and a tall girl with the black hair and silver circlet came in flanked by a beautiful blonde and a boy with black hair and sea green eyes behind them stood a line of girls dressed in silver and armed with bows and behind them were a troupe of random people all trying to look in.

"My lady we heard the scream. What happened? Do you need our assistance?" The tall girl with circlet asked as she eyed the three men in the room with weary eyes and clenched her bow tightly.

"Thalia your assistance is not needed. Please take the two camper boys out and my brother also. Myself and Alessa will join you momentarily I explain." Artemis said kindly. Thalia nodded and showed them out and closed the door behind her.

After that Artemis explained what happened. Along with the gift/curse Apollo put on my family. When she finished she held my hand and looked at me. "I know you have nothing to go back to in that world you come from. And I know how broken you are inside. And I would like to offer you a new family. A new life with my hunters. They will be your eternal sisters. No men. No pain. Just your family and the hunt. Would you join our ranks?" She asked. I didn't even have to think about it before I nodded. She smiled.

"Then repeat after me. I pledge myself to the Goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt. " I repeated and when I finished a silver light surrounded me and seeped into my very being. I felt stronger faster and better in every way.

I followed the lady Artemis out of the room and into the hallway where Thalia and the rest of the hunters, my new family, were. Thalia took one look at me and smiled. "Welcome to the hunt sister. Welcome home." She said. The rest of the girls smiled at me and welcomed me. I finally felt at peace. I could finally be happy.

We went back to the Artemis cabin where try gave me a set of clothes to change into that consisted of a white shirt, silver jacket, silvery camo pants, and black boots. I braided my hair down my back and then Thalia decided to take me on a tour if the camp.

We walked around and she showed me everything. We finally got to the sword arena where two people were sparring. Thalia called them over. "Chris Clarisse! Hey come over here!" She called. They trudged over and as soon as I saw the guys face my heart froze. "Alessa meet Clarrise La Rue and Chris Rodriguez." She said but I was barely listening. Chris was staring at me with wide eyes. "Alessa are you okay? Alessa?" Thalia asked.

"Less is that you?" Chris asked. That broke it for me. I moved quick as lightning and snagged Thalia's knife that was hanging on her belt and with a scream of rage I ran at Chris who just watched with wide eyes as I pinned him down and held the knife to his chest while Thalia and Clarisse yelled. But I didn't care. After four years I meet my brother again and I was determined to get answers. We Rodriguezes are just stubborn like that.

**so yes. Here is the new chapter. I hope you all enjoyed. R&R and I love all of you. **

**~Lessy The Magnificent**


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